- Actors: Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Anna Lee, Donald Crisp, Roddy McDowall
- Directors: John Ford
- Writers: Philip Dunne, Richard Llewellyn
- Producers: Darryl F. Zanuck
- Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language English, French
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- DVD Release Date: 14 Jan 2003
- Run Time: 118 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00006RCO3
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 129,511 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
John Ford's beautiful, heartfelt drama about a close-knit family of Welsh coal miners is one of the greatest films of Hollywood's golden age--a gentle masterpiece that beat Citizen Kane in the Best Picture race for the 1941 Academy Awards. The picture also won Oscars for Best Director (Ford), Best Supporting Actor (Donald Crisp), Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography; all of those awards were richly deserved, even if they came at the expense of Kane and Orson Welles. Based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn, the film focuses its eventful story on 10-year-old Huw (Roddy McDowall), youngest of seven children to Mr. and Mrs. Morgan (Donald Crisp, Sarah Allgood), a hardy couple who've seen the best and worst of times in their South Wales mining town. They're facing one of the worst times as Mr. Morgan refuses to join a miners union whose members have begun a long-term strike. Family tensions grow and Huw must learn many of life's harsher lessons under the tutelage of the local preacher (Walter Pidgeon), who has fallen in love with Huw's sister (Maureen O'Hara). As various crises are confronted and devastating losses endured, How Green Was My Valley unfolds as a rich, moving portrait of family strength and integrity. It's also a nod to a simpler, more innocent time--and to the preciousness of memory and the inevitable passage from youth to adulthood. An all-time classic, not to be missed. --Jeff Shannon
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Classic tale of family life in a Welsh valley at the beginning of the 20th Century. It's the story of Huw Morgan, son of a Collier in a small Welsh village, and his family. It depicts life in a small mining village at the turn of the Century, and how the lives of the Morgan family changed with the times. It also shows how the mines changed the Welsh landscape.
A film with humour, romance, courage, hardship and sadness, this film is one of all the time classics, and a must to watch.
Excellent performances by Walter Pigeon, Maureen O'Hara and the young Rodney McDowell, amongst others.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"How Green Was My Valley" is one of John Ford's best films, the sentimental story of the Morgans, a family of Welsh coal miners. Adapted by screenwriter Philip Dunne from Richard Llewellyn's best-selling novel, this is the story of a close-knit, hard-working family at the turn of the last century that sees its livelihood at the mine start to slip away and the family starts to fall apart. The story is told in flash back by the youngest boy, Huw (Roddy McDowall, with the actual narration by Irving Pichel), who wants to grow up to be just like his father (Donald Crisp, in his Oscar winning role) and older brothers, at a time when that way of life is no longer viable.
This is a gloriously beautiful black and white film, with several foundations for that beauty. First, there is the Oscar winning set design of Richard Day, Nathan Juran and Thomas Little, who recreated a totally believable Welsh town on the side the Santa Monica Mountains at Brent's Crags, near Malibu (plans to film the movie in Wales were abandoned when World War II broke out). This is one of the most memorable built sets in Hollywood history. Second, there is the Oscar winning photography of Arthur C. Miller, who would go on to win Oscars for cinematography of "Song of Bernadette" and "Anna and the King of Siam." Third, there is the singing of the Welsh Singers, who set the tone during the opening credits of the film (the same song that is song in a great moment in "Zulu," except this time it is sung in Welsh). Fourth, there is the young Irish actress Maureen O'Hara as the one daughter in the Morgan household. The only regret that this film is not in color comes from being denied the sight of O'Hara's red hair.
Beyond director Ford, who also won an Oscar, the key to this film becomes McDowell in terms of both his character and his performance. Huw is the character that brings the various episodes and plot threads together, and despite the deaths and departures that come during the film, the greatest tragedy in the film belongs to Huw. McDowell's simple and earnest performance is indeed the lynch pin of the film. The socio-political tone of the novel with regards to the labor union issue is toned down considerably, although the harsh realities faced by these Welsh coal miners are clearly represented.
"How Green Was My Valley" was the film that beat out "Citizen Kane" for the Academy Award for Best Picture (not to mention "The Maltese Falcon" and seven other films), although if you know the story of Orson Welles' masterpiece then you really have to be surprised the film was nominated (I bet it would not have been if there had been only five nominations allowed). This film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1990.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Who would know now that this film picked up the oscar for movie of the year in 1941 (maybe '42 when the ceremony was held)? It doesn't seem to have stayed in the public conscious like other classics from the era.
The story told in flashback, is one of nostalgia and longing for childhood and the love of family. The narrator misses a simpler, more innocent age. He educated himself out of his humble coal mining background, yet now, that is all he wants. In our time, we can feel the same about our childhoods, long after this film was even made. For me this laces it all with a double irony, and speaks volumes about human nature.
Yes, it is sentimental, and tugs on the heart strings, but it is honest and faithful in it's intentions. The parents, played by Donald Crisp, who picked up a supporting role oscar, and Sara Allgood are wonderful characters. They raise their family with much love and discipline, and an overpowering sense of belonging.
One flaw for me in the movie is the dodgy Welsh accents. As an Englishman they grate on me, so I can imagine it is worse for the Welsh. If you can get past them, then this is the perfect old movie.
Nostalgia aint what it used to be, or maybe it is for a lot of us.
The story told in flashback, is one of nostalgia and longing for childhood and the love of family. The narrator misses a simpler, more innocent age. He educated himself out of his humble coal mining background, yet now, that is all he wants. In our time, we can feel the same about our childhoods, long after this film was even made. For me this laces it all with a double irony, and speaks volumes about human nature.
Yes, it is sentimental, and tugs on the heart strings, but it is honest and faithful in it's intentions. The parents, played by Donald Crisp, who picked up a supporting role oscar, and Sara Allgood are wonderful characters. They raise their family with much love and discipline, and an overpowering sense of belonging.
One flaw for me in the movie is the dodgy Welsh accents. As an Englishman they grate on me, so I can imagine it is worse for the Welsh. If you can get past them, then this is the perfect old movie.
Nostalgia aint what it used to be, or maybe it is for a lot of us.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
how green was my valley
This dvd was purchased as a requested xmas present the reciever was highly delighted with it as he had read books but had not seen the film,the service from Amazon was as usual the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by josey
A must see
I bought this film as a gift for my uncle. It is already a treasured member of my film library.
Fans of Roddy McDowall will enjoy seeing him shine as a child... Read more
Fans of Roddy McDowall will enjoy seeing him shine as a child... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mr. William Healey
How Green was my Valley
I remembered this film from way back and was glad to find it still existed ,it brings to life just what life was like in the mining valleys of Wales and the hard choices having to... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Irish Rose
Not It's A Wonderful Life
I'm glad I saw this one, it is a good classic.
I saw it because it is one of my fathers favorite films. Read more
I saw it because it is one of my fathers favorite films. Read more
Published 8 months ago by kentbb
Dated beyond belief
This film won Best Film in 1941, and Halliwell rated it 3/4 stars, so it must have been a fine movie at some point in the past, and no doubt I thought so when I saw it many years... Read more
Published 11 months ago by jim honeybun
wonderful weepie
Had not seen this film for about 20years,forgot what a wonderful story it was, great acting and a weepie what more could you ask for
Published 13 months ago by G. Robinson
So dated - almost a parody of Welsh-ness
I wanted to see the video because of my own younger years spent in Wales near the coal producing areas.
This video is awful bordering on parody. Read more
This video is awful bordering on parody. Read more
Published 16 months ago by S. Payne
How Green Was My Valley
I had seen this film before in the 1950's. It was lovely to watch it again, a lot of memories, wonderful singing and of course a brilliant story. Thank you Amazon. Read more
Published 16 months ago by D. Ainge
matylda
I really enjoyed this old classic film. When I bought the film I was led to believe it was in colour as the image on the DVD showed this to be so. Read more
Published 17 months ago by matylda
Revisionist review
Sorry guys but I've just watched "How Green Was My Valley" again and it's an unmitigated load of sentimental old cobblers. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Harry
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